Frequently Asked Questions

Additional Information

Permits

How can I get a parking permit?

To be eligible for a parking permit, you must live on a qualifying block in a permit parking district. Parking signage is posted within each permit parking district. Permits are processed at the Public Works Agency counter, Monday - Thursday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and alternate Fridays from 9:00 am to 4 pm (except holidays), at a cost of $69.56 each (as of July 2, 2018).

Permits expire every two years on a common date for each parking district. A maximum of three permits can be issued per single-family home and one permit per multifamily residential unit. To obtain a parking permit, a valid driver's license, current vehicle registration, and proof of residence are required. Please view our Residential Permit Parking Brochure for complete details. Call (714) 647-5623 for additional information.

How can I obtain a street work permit?

Street work is required to be performed by a licensed contractor. The contractor must provide the following information prior to the issuance of the street work permit:

A City of Santa Ana business license

A Certificate of Insurance of general liability containing requirements as set forth by the City Attorney

The Fire Hydrant Construction Meter will be installed by the City within one business day at the location identified on the application. Roaming meters are handed out at the City Corporation Yard.

Fire Hydrant Construction Meter Rental Fees

Meter rental fee is $2.00 per day regardless of use, including Saturday and Sunday. Minimum meter rental fee is five days at $2.00 per day. Deposits will be refunded upon return of undamaged meter and tools, after payment has been deducted for cost of the water used, and meter rental. All or part of the deposit may be forfeited for failure to pay any bill,reporting meter stolen, failure to return meter, or damage to any meter or tools used to the permittee. Billings and refunds are processed 4 – 8 weeks from date meter is returned.

Applications are accepted by appointment. Please call (714) 647-3320 to make an appointment and to obtain any additional information. Fire hydrant meter permits are issued at the City’s Corporation Yard between the 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday and every other Friday, except holidays. We are located at:

Santa Ana Corporate Yard
220 South Daisy Avenue
Santa Ana, CA 92703

Please bring remember to bring the following with you at time of completing the application:

Copy of current City of Santa Ana business license.

Map of location where meter is to be installed.

Check made out to the City of Santa Ana.

Public Property Maintenance

Who do I call to report potholes and damaged sidewalks?

The City maintains a regular street and sidewalk repair and maintenance schedule. Call (714) 647-3380 to report potholes and damaged sidewalks. Crews will make necessary repairs as quickly as possible.

To report street lighting problems, you may call (714) 647-3380. Before calling, please identify the street light by either an address or a pole number located on the street side of the pole, approximately seven feet above the sidewalk.

The City maintains landscaping in street medians. To report problems such as damaged trees, plants, signage or irrigation, call (714) 647-3380.

How can I get a new tree planted in the parkway in front of my home?

The City has 40 different species of trees we plant in parkways. However, some trees will not work in certain parkways due to the size of the parkway and the root structure of the tree. Your choice of tree will also be limited to those already planted in your neighborhood's parkways. You may call the Tree Maintenance Supervisor at (714) 647-3330 to request a site inspection to determine which species of tree will work best in your parkway.

Homeowners will be responsible for deep watering their trees. City staff will provide trimming and pesticide services as well as re-staking the tree, if necessary. Call (714) 647-3306 to verify when a City-owned tree will be trimmed. View a complete list of trees.

Water is coming out of the meter box in front of my house. Who do I call to fix it?

Call (714) 647-3380 to report water in the meter box. If the water is coming from the street side of the meter, it is the City's responsibility to fix it.

Who do I contact regarding abandoned property, weeds and rubbish on public property (streets, alleys and parkways)?

For abandoned property, weeds and rubbish on public property, you may contact Public Works Dispatch at (714) 647-3380.

Where can I find the street sweeping schedule for my neighborhood?

Residential City streets are swept every week and are posted with the day and time of the sweeping schedule. Click to see a map of the street sweeping schedule. It is illegal to park on the street during the scheduled sweeping times. Vehicles parked on the street when the sweeper passes will receive a parking citation. It is illegal to park vehicles on residential lawns, even on street sweeping day. Streets are not swept on City holidays and are not rescheduled for sweeping the following day.

City Holidays are New Year’s day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day following Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and the last working day before Christmas day or, if Christmas Day falls on Thursday, the Friday following Christmas Day. Holidays which fall on a Sunday will be observed on the following Monday and holidays which fall on a Saturday will be observed on the Friday preceding the Holiday. For questions, please call Public Works Dispatch at (714) 647-3380.

How can I have abandoned shopping carts removed?

For shopping cart removal, call Community Preservation at (714) 667-2780.

Cleaning and Trash Collection

How can I report vandalism and unsightly conditions at bus stops and shelters?

I've been seeing graffiti in my neighborhood. How can I get it removed?

Call the Graffiti Hotline at (877) 786-7824(877 - STOPTAG) to report graffiti. If it is on public property or fences facing the street, it will be removed within 1-2 days. For graffiti found in unincorporated areas or on County-owned and maintained property, please call the County of Orange at (714) 667-1600. For more information regarding Graffiti, please visit the Graffiti Program page.

Recycling and Trash Collection

Put your trash carts at the curb no earlier than 4:00 pm on the day before your scheduled collection, and put them out of sight by midnight the day your trash is collected. Never leave your carts at the curb beyond your scheduled trash day. If you see carts in public view, please contact the City's Public Works Dispatch at (714) 647-3380 to report the location.

When New Year's Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day is observed on a weekday, collections for the remainder of the week will be delayed one day. When refuse collection and street sweeping occur on the same day, please place your carts on top of the curb to allow the street sweeper to clean the curbs and gutters.

For household cleanup, you can call Waste Management, Inc. at (714) 558-7761 and ask for a temporary three-yard bin for general clean up.

For remodeling and other construction and demolition projects, you can contact Ware Disposal (714) 834-0234 or Waste Management at (714) 558-7761 for a construction bin or roll-off container.

Household Hazardous Waste

How can I dispose of used motor oil?

The City provides curbside used motor oil and filter collection at no charge. Contact Waste Management at (714) 558-7761 to receive your FREE oil container and filter bag. After you have filled the container with used motor oil, and placed your used oil filter in the plastic bag, call Waste Management to schedule a pickup. Your oil and oil filter will be picked up on your next regularly scheduled refuse collection day and a new empty container and oil filter bag will be left for your next oil change. DO NOT dump used motor oil into storm drains as they flow to the ocean.

How can I dispose of household hazardous waste?

If you have pesticides, cleaners, batteries, pool chemicals and paints in addition to other chemicals found around your home, proper disposal facilities are nearby. The County of Orange offers FREE DISPOSAL for household hazardous waste at several locations close to Santa Ana. The collection centers are open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. Please call (714) 834-6752 for more information. The following are collection locations:

Anaheim
1071 North Blue Gum Street

Irvine
6411 Oak Canyon (Next to City Yard)

Huntington Beach
17121 Nichols Street (Use Gate 6)

Sewer Maintenance

The City conducts regular inspections and maintenance of the sewer system. A fund has been established to replace or repair worn out sewer laterals using city crews, within the public right-of-way. Call (714) 647-3380 for assistance. The introduction of fats, oils and grease are detrimental to the proper functioning of the sewer system. See how to eliminate fats, oils and grease from entering the sewer system.

How can I report illegal dumping in storm drains?

Call (714) 647-3380 to report someone dumping trash or other waste into the storm drain. Storm drains are cleaned annually to ensure streets and sidewalks do not flood during heavy rains.